Vending machine



March l0, 1931. F. CASAU VENDNG MACHINE 5 sneeis-sneet 1 Filed Aug. 19, 1929 ATTORNEY March l0, 1931. F. CASAU VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 19, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES ATTORNEY March l0, 1931. F. CASAU VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 19, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 60' I'NvENToR [5a/25u50 asa/a WITNESSES 24% 9%@ ally ATTORN EY F. cAsAU I 1,795,998

March l0, 1931.

VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 19, '1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 i?? /Yy- YX 1,2.- Erl n ,j sg

,lNvENToR fa/ffzfa Qada ATTORNEY March 10, 1931. F. CASAU VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 19, 1929 5 sheets-sheet 5 v lNvEyoR Eff/25mm 5a/u ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 10, 1931 FRANCISCO CASAU, F STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT VENDING MACHINE Application led August 19, 1929. Serial No. 386,897.

This invention relates to vending machines. Itis among the general objects of the present invention to provide a novel and improved vending machine which is simple-in construction and operation and particularly tated position;

designed to meet the demands of economic manufacture.

The more specific objects of the present invention include the provision of a vending machine including a single control crank therefor and a plurality of merchandisereceiving assemblies within said cabinet selectively operable by said crank upon the insertion of coins within a selected one of a corresponding plurality of coin chutes.

A further object of the present invention 1s to provide'a vending machine which will discharge merchandise upon receipt of coins and which will discharge with the merchandise the required change.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine which is operable to discharge merchandise upon receipt of various amounts of money and to discharge with said merchandise, change, the amount of change being controlled by the type of coins inserted in the'machine.

A further object of the present invention is to provide in a vending machine, a novel and improved coin-receiving and discharge controlling mechanism.

Other important objects of the present invention include thespeciiic novel-and im proved structural features of the coinhandling mechanism, the change-discharging assemblies and other structural details, all of which combine and interrelate to provide a novel, improved structure.

Numerous other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from a consideration ofv the following specication taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan View of the cabinet of the present invention, showing the merchandise holders and chutes in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is an interior view taken on lines 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken on lines 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4is a vertical section taken on lines 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing the coin-receiving mechanism in partially rol Fig. 6 is a detail side elevation of the coinreceiving mechanism;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view showing the merchandise chute and the change-delivering mechanism in conjunction with the coinreceiving mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the machine in merchandise-discharging position; v

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on lines 65 9-9 of Fig. 1; l v

Fig. 10 is a vertical section taken on lines lO-l() of Fig. 9, and

Fig. 11 is a detail view showing the means for preventing reception of coins when the merchandise chutes are empty.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the present invention includes a cabinet having a surrounding wall section 15, the front face 16 of which may bear a suitable 75 direction chart, as indicated yby the numeral 17 together with holders 18 for advertising and indicating the merchandise to be sold. The lower portion'of the holders 18 are apertured, as at 19, to receive there- 80 through the coins, the apertures being in conjunction with coin chutes, as will be hereinafter described. The wall section 15 further. includes a suitable hinged top or door 20 and is adapted to rest upon a base section 21 which 85 forms a chassis for the mechanism. The upper portion of the base section includes slots and apertures through which the operating mechanism extends, as will be hereinafter de? scribed, and is provided with a forwardly-extending curved cover plate 22 from which the operating crank 23 extends. The lower section 24 of the device forms a base for the entire structure, and as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, is provided with suitable chutes and coinreceiving devices. The lower section 24 further includes a hinged apertured front member or door 25 which is adapted to be locked in closed position by a vertically extending locking rod 26, which rod is normally urge 1W 20, which isnormally locked by suitable means Thus unauthorized opening of the door 25 or of the cover Q0 is prevented. From the foregoing in connection with the drawings, it will be seen that the cabinet structure provides a maximum space for merchandise in a small cabinet. Itwill be understood, however, that the invention-is not confined to the specific cabinet structure herein presented but that numerous changes, modifications and the full use of equivalents in the cabinet design may be used without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

For accommodating merchandise to be delivered by the device, there is provided therein a plurality of rows of merchandise-holding racks, each rack including right-angle corner posts 30 which are held in spaced relation by joining bars 31 as shown in Fig. l. The rear pair of posts 30 terminate at theirl lower ends in forwardly and inwardly-extending projections 32 which form a bottom for the racks to prevent downward discharge therefrom of merchandise retained therein. For providing for-the proper pressure upon the top of the merchandise carried in the racks, there are provided freely movable weighted members 33 which rest in the racks upon the merchandise, thus urging the merchandise downwardly in the racks. The forward edge of the front posts 30., of the racks are cut away as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, to permit forward discharge of merchandise from the racks.

.The present form of the invention is particularly designed for the merchandising of cigarettes and as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, provides for the automatic discharge of a package of cigarettes with matches attached thereto. It will be understood that the invention is not confined to this particular use. but that it may be readily designed to discharge any desired type of packaged material, such redesigning being well within the scope of one skilled in the art to which this invention relates.

For discharging change with the discharge of merchandise from the racks, each one of the front posts `of the rack is provided with a coin rack 35, preferably formed from a single piece of material return bent on its edges and open on its face. The coin racks 35 preferably flare outwardly at their upper ends to facilitate the loading thereof with the coins and are secured to the front posts of the racks by extensions 36 of the joining bars 3l. In the present form ofthe invention, one of the coin racks is designed to receive dimes while the opposite post of the merchandise rack is provided with two parallel coin racks designed to accommodate pennies. Thus, as will be hereinafter eX- plained, the discharge of merchandise is accompanied by the discharge of two pennies change, and in some instances with an ad/Iitionaldime fromthe dinn` rack. 'l`he changedischargiug feature of the present invention is obviously adapted vto rearrangement, whereby the denomination of coins and the number thereof discharged with the merchandise, may be altered to suit the selling price of the merchandise and the denomination-s of coins receivable by the machine.

For controlling the discharge of merchandise and `change from the device, there is provided under each of the racks and leX- tending centrally and longitudinally thereof, a 'coin-receiving mechanism as shown in Figs. 4 to S. rl`he coin-receiving mechanisms are mounted upon a longitudinally-extending operating shaft 40, which is operable by rotation of the crank 23, by the provision ot' the connecting gears 4l.

In the form of thespresent invention here illustrated. which includes a pair of rows of racks, the longitudinally-extending shaft 40 for each row is connected by an inter-connecting shaft 42, whereby rotation of the crank 23 will rotate all of the longitudinallyextending shafts and thus will actuate all of the coin-receiving mechanisms carried thereby when such mechanisms contain the proper coins as will hereinafter be described` it. being understood that the invention is not confined to the specific number of rows of racks nor to the 'specific number of racks in each row here depicted.

For balancing the effort required for the rotation of the shafts 40, there is provided at one end of the forward shaft 40, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a crank 43 which is eccentrically connected by a spring 44 with a substantially heart-shaped disk 45 carried by the extremity of the rear shaft 40. Contacting with the disk thereover, is a pivotallymounted roller 46, which is urged by a spring 47 in contact with the disk 45, the arrangement being such that clockwise rotation of the crank causes rotation of the shafts 40 and rotation of the disk 45 in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. Q, which rotation is retarded by the necessary upward movement of the roller 46 against the tension of the spring 47. Due to the configuration of the disk 45, the first half of the rotation of the shafts 40 is retarded by thevcontinued upward movement of the roller 46 against the tension of the spring 47. The rotation of the shafts 40 is further retarded in its first half of revolution by the separation of the extremity of the crank 43 from the eccentric point of connection of the opposite end of the spring 44, it being readily seen that by rotation the connected ends of the spring 44 arereturned. Upon the completion of a half revolution of the crank 23, the roller 46 passes the apex of the disk 45 and thereafter urges the shaft 40 by downward pressure by the spring 47. It

It will be seen that the discharge of mer-k chandise is accomplished onthe second halfy of the revolution of the. crank.4 .The spring arrangement provides for an assistance in this latter half revolution so that approximately' even turning power is required on the crank 23. The arrangement also'provides positive completion of the revolution'so that a discharge of merchandise and change is assured. y

For preventing reverse rotation of the shafts 40 after they have completed slightly more than a halfrevolution, there is provided in conjunction with the disk 45, ar partially ratcheted wheel 48 which turns with the shafts and which has in Contact therewith a spring-urged pawl 49 carried by the chassis of the mechanism. As shown in Fig. 2, during slightly more than the first half revolution of the shaft, the pawl 49 is in contact with the smooth surface of the wheel 48, thus reverse movement of the shafts 40 is permitted. After a predetermined point, however,'the pawl 49 engages the teeth 50 of the wheel 48, whereby reverse movement thereafter is prevented. This feature o-f the present invention will be seen to be important in that it prevents duplicate discharge of change. after a single insertion of purchasing coins.

Referring more particularly tothe structure of each of the coin-receiving mechanisms, it will be seen in Figs. 4 to 8, that the device includes a tapered and longitudinally "apertured body 60, which body is received on the shaft 4() for rotation therewith. On the sides of the body in spaced parallel relation thereto, there are provided coin-receiving side braces 61, each of which extends from parallel to one side edge of the body to an edge inwardly spaced from the opposite edge of the body, the short terminating edge of one being diametrically opposite to the short terminating edge of the other, whereby as shown in the drawings, the upper forward edge of the brace is always parallel with the upper forward edge of the body regardless of whether A the body has been rotated a half or a cornpletel revolution.y lAssociated with the brace 61, there is provided a pivoted closure 62 for the coin-receivingpocket formed by the brace. The closure 62 has an inWardly-t-urnedHange 63, which `closes vthe loweredge of the pocket vina line parallel with the ytaperedside of the body, the arrangement being such that when a small coin is received in the open upper edge, it will strike the flange 63 and roll toward the larger end of the body 60. The next small coin to be received will lie intermediate the endsof the body 60, while the third coin will beadjacent the smaller end, the small coins being indicated in Fig. 6 by the numeral 64.

The brace 61 isprovidedin spacedl relation to the smaller end of the body 60, with an inwardly-extending projection 65, which will prevent the movement by gravity of a largercointoward thelargerend of the body 60. 7

to discharge merchandise upon receipt of The machine herein illustrated is adapted either three nickels'or a quarter. The quarter will be prevented from moVin'gftowa-rd the larger end of the body by the projection 65, it being retained inthe positionshown in dotted lines 66 ofFig. 6, by the projection 65. The closure 62:-for Vthe coin slot' is pivotally associated with the brace-61 -by the hinge 67, and is normall urgedinfclosed position by a spring 68 an a projectingpin 69 is carried by the closure and is operable by rotation of the shaft 40 to open the slot to discharge therefrom improper coins whereby they may be returned to the depositor. l

For rotating the body with the shaft 40,

the proper coin or coins, in the instant casel being either a quarter or three nickels, are inserted through the selected slot 19 in the face of the cabinet. Receiving chutes 70 for the coins are provided adjacent the apertures 19 to deliver the coins to the associated coinreceiving mechanism. It will be seen that for the coin-receiving mechanisms carried by the front shaft 40, a smaller arcuate chute is provided between the lower apertures 19 and the coin-receiving mechanism, while for the coin-receiving mechanisms carried by the rear shaft 40, longer straight chutes are provided which extend to the rear shaft 40. For rotating the coin-receiving mechanisms when the proper coins are inserted therein. the shafts 40 are provided with wheels 7 2 locked thereon for rotation therewith, one of the wheels 72 being provided adjacent each of the coin-receiving mechanisms'. The wheels each include an inwardly-directed operating finger or extension 7 3 which upon free rotation of the shaft 40, passes over the smaller end of the coin-receiving mechanisms and which when the coin-receiving mechanism has a quarter therein, contacts with the quarter to rotate the-mechanism with the shaft 40. lVhen three nickels are positioned therein, the extension 73 contacts with the coin adjacent the smaller end of the coin-receiving mechanism and thus rotates the mechanism with the rotation of the shaft -similar to the movement when a quarter is contacted by the extension 7 3.

The short forward chutes and the ends of the long rearward chutes are preferably pivotally mounted and include a downwardly extending projection which is adapted to be struck by a coin carried by the coin-receiving device to pivotally move the end of the chutes so that when there is positioned within the chutes more than sufficient coins, the chutes will be tilted to permit the extra coin to pass over the coin-receiving device and be returned to the operator, thus avoiding any danger of jamming the machine by the insertion therein of more than the required number of coins.

For discharging improper coins and returning them to the depositor, the wheel 7 2 is provided with cam surfaces 7l which upon rotation of the shaft with respect to the coinreceiving mechanism, strike the projection 69 to move the closure 69, outwardly, thus permitting any coins to be discharged downwardly to be returned. It will be seen that when improper coins are received by the device, the extension 73 will not strike the coins to rotate the coin-receiving mechanism and thus, as vshown in Fig. 4, upon rotation of the crank 23, the pivoted closure 62 will be opened without rotating the coin-receiving mechanism and the coins will be dropped to be returned to the depositor as will be hereinafter described.

For discharging the merchandise upon rotation of the coin-receiving mechanism, the coin-receiving mechanismincludes two pairs of oppositely-extending pivoted merchandise-engaging fingers 75, one of each pair being mounted directly on the braces 61, while the opposite one of each pair is mounted axially with the mounting of the other upon a transversely-extending arm 76 carried by a projecting sleeve 77 of the coin-receiving mechanism. Upon rotation of the coin-receiving mechanism the arms rotate therewith and pass between the posts of the merchandise rack to strike the packaged merchandise and push Ait horizontally along the inturned ends 32 of the posts, thus permitting it to drop downwardly as shown more clearly in Fig. 8. Immediately upon the delivery of one package, the rarms 75 pass their center of gravity and drop to the vertical position shown in Fig. 8, thus permitting free downward movement of the package. It will be seen that the opposite sides of the coin-receiving mechainsm are in duplicate so that the device functions upon a half revolution of the coin-receiving mechanism. For giving the coin-receiving mechanism an extra movement as the package is being delivered, the mechanism includes a cam wheel 78, the cam surfaces of which bear against a pivoted roller- 7 9 which is urged toward the surfaces bya suitable spring 80. The arrangement is thus that when the package is about to be delivered the roller, spring 44 and the roller 7 9 co-operate to 'give an added turning movement to the coin mechanism, thus insuring a fast and complete delivery of the merchandise from its rack.

It will be seen by referring to Fig. 4, that whenvthe device is at rest, the roller 79 lies in a recess between the extending surfaces of the wheel 78, thus assisting, in conjunction with the spring 44 and disk 45 hereinbefore mentioned, to retain the body 6() in proper vertical position, whereby thecoin-receiving space between the body 60 and the brace 61 is in proper coin-receiving alinement with the chute.

For delivering change with the delivery of the merchandise, the pair of penny-holding change chutes are provided with duplicate change-holding mechanism including two pairs of forked lingers 81 which pass through recesses 82 in the sides of the change chutes, the lower ends of which carry closure plates 83. The fingers 81 are pivoted intermediate the closurel plates and their extremities so that upon outward movement of the extremities of the lingers to release one of the coins in the change chute, the closure plate will cover the end of the change chute and when the fingers are moved again within the cut-outportions 82, they prevent downward movement of the next coin in the chute but move the closure plate 83 to release the one disengaged coin.

Associated with the ends of the lingers, there is provided a downwardly-extending operating arm 84, which is contacted by the outwardly moved package as `indicated in Fig. 8, to oscillate the lingers, releasing one coin each of the double chutes with which they are associated. Thus regardless of whether the coins received by the machine are three nickels or a quarter, the discharge of merchandise will at all times deliver one penny from each of the double chutes. For delivering a dime when a quarter is received by the coin-receiving mechanism, a similar pair of ingers 85 for the dime chute is used. The lower ends of these iingers are connected by a link 86 with a pivoted lever 87, the lower end of which lies in a plane which will be intercepted by a quarter rotated with the coin-receiving mechanism but which will not be intercepted by nickels received by the coin-receiving mechanism. Thus, as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, when a quarter is used as therein illustrated, the lower end of the lever 87 will be struck by the quarter and will rock the arm to move the link 86, thus pivotally moving the lingers 85 to release a single dime in a manner similar to the release of the pennies.

As hereinbefore disclosed, the present invention is shown in a construction designed to receive three nickels or a quarter and to discharge in response to such receipt, two pennies or two pennies land a dime, respectively. It will be understood that the invention is not confined to this specific design but that luO will be understood that the present invention may be readily utilized asa simple changemaking machine without utilizing the device as a vending machine. In the present specific arrangement,l it will be seen that a single penny ora single dimeand a single penny may be discharged from the device by simply failing to supply the ychutes with the proper coins. Thus it will be understood that the invention is universally applicable and readily modiied to meet various changes in merchandise prices and to accommodate the device for the reception of various coins and the discharge in respone to such reception, of varying amounts of change.

For preventing reception of coins through the coin-receiving apertures 19 when the supply of merchandise associated therewith is exhausted, there is provided for the upper apertures which communicate with the rear merchandise racks, closure members 88 which have inwardly turned fingers 74, whereby rotation of the members 88 will rock the vfingers in a position closing the upper apertures 19, as shown in dotted 'lines in Fig. 11. The members are retained inl normal position permitting coins to be inserted in the apertures, by springs 89 which are attached to lugs 90 carried by the members 88.4 The inner side of the lugs 90 has an inwardly-extending projection which is coupled by a link 96 with a lever 97, the inner end of which is adapted to be struck by'an inwardly extending lug 91 carried by the weighted member 33 when the merchandise is exhausted. Thus the link 96 will be moved downwardly to rotate the members 88 and position the n'gers 7 4 across the apertures 19.` For closing the lower apertures, the projection 91 of the weighted member 33 contacts with a pivoted arm 92 the -forward edge of which lies over a projecting finger 93 lcarried by a yvertical slot-closing pin 94 which is normally urged upwardly by a spring 95 and' which when the projection 91 moves the arm 92 downwardly, moves vertically to close the aperture 19.- The arrangement of the aperture-controlling members will 'be' clearly seen in Fig. 11.

For preventing a double rotation of the coin-actuating mechanism when the lcoin is received therein, there is provided a stop finger 54 which is carried by a suitable portion of the chassis and which is arranged in the path of travel of the coin 66 so that when the coin-carrying mechanism is revolved a half revolution, the finger 54 will engage the coin and prevent further rotation of the mechanism; thus the mechanism may be halted until the coin drops by gravity therefrom, whereby further rotation of the crank 23 and consequent rotation of the shaft 40 will not further rotate the coin-controlling mechanism to further discharge change or merchandise.

,For delivering the change and the merchandise to the operator or for delivery to him of improper coins which have been deposited, the base 24.- is provided centrally with sloping chutes 98. As the front and near racks face each other, it will be seen that the merchandise will always be delivered to the central section which is indicated in Fig. 9 by the numeral 99. The aperture '100 of the member 25 communicates with the central section, whereby the merchandise delivered thereto may be received by the operator. They improper coinage received by the coin-receiving mechanisms and released by the ivotal movement of the closure 62 thereo is returned to the operator from the rear coinreceiving mechanisms by the vjoint provision of the inwardly-inclined chutes v101 and ythe forwardly-inclined member 102 which communicates with the central section 99 through an aperture 103. The change drops from the change slots directly to the central section 99 and may be picked therefrom by the operator. The coins which are used to rotate the coin-receiving mechanisms are delivered through side sloping chutes 104 to compartments under the chutes 98 which have therein coin receptacles 105 which maybe removed therefrom by unlocking and openin the door 25 and which are otherwise retaine under the chutes and prevented from movement by the door 25.- y From the foregoing it will readily be seen ion that the present'invention provides a simple and eiicient selective mechanism for dis- .charging a predetermined quantity of change 1n response to receipt of a predeterminedcoin or coins. It will further be seen that the inj vention provides a novel and improvedfcoinreceiving mechanism which will be operable in response to receipt of various types of` coins to discharge merchandise from the device. It will be understood that the invention is thus not coniined to detail construction, but that it may be suitably modified to provide for its use with various types of coins for the delivery of various amounts of change `and for use with various types of merchandise. The whole-apparatus is thus seen to be subject to various changes,modifications and t lthe full useof equivalents without departing from'thel spirit or scope of the invention as outlined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: V

1. In a vending-machine, the combination with a merchandise rack, of a-rotatable operating shaft adj aoent thereto, a coinreceiving device, means carried-by said shaft to engage a coin in said device for moving the device with the shaft, merchandise ejecting means operable by movement of said device with said shaft, and change delivering mechanism operable by a coin in said device.

2. In a vending machine, the combination with a merchandise rack, of a rotatable operating shaft adjacent thereto, a coin receiving device, means carried by said shaft to engage a coin in said device for moving the device with the shaft, merchandise ejecting means operable by movement of said device with said shaft, change delivering means operable by merchandise as the merchandise is delivered from said rack, and se arate change delivering mechanism opera le by a coin in said device.

3. A vending machine, including a merchandise rack,a rotatable operating shaft under said rack, a ,coin receiving device for said rack carried by said shaft, a finger carried by said shaft adjacent said device for rotating said device with rotation of said shaft, said finger extending over one end of said device in spaced relation thereto to engage a coin in said device at the end adjacent said finger, said device including a stop to prevent longitudinal movement of a large coin from said end adjacent said finger, and to permit longitudinal movement of smaller coins therein, whereby they will fill said device to position one of said coins in the path of said finger, and merchandise delivering means operable by rotation of said device.

4.-. A vending machine, including a merchandise rack, a rotatable operating shaft under said rack, a coin receiving device for said rack carried by said shaft, a finger carried by said shaft adjacent said device for rotating said device with rotation of said shaft, said finger extending over one end of said device in spaced relation thereto to engage a coin in said devicel at the end adjacent said finger, said device including a stop to prevent longitudinal movement of a large coin from said end adjacent said finger, and to permit longitudinal movement of smaller coins therein, whereby they will fill said device to position one of said coins in the path of said finger, merchandisel delivering means operable by rotation of said device, and change delivering means operable by the merchandise as the merchandise is being delivered.

5. A vending machine, including a merchandise rack, a rotatable operating shaft under said rack, a coin receiving device for said rack carried by said shaft, a finger carried by said shaft adjacent said device for rotating said device with rotation of said shaft, said finger extending over one end of lsaid device in spaced relation thereto to engage a coin in saiddevice at the end adjacent said finger, said device including a stop to prevent longitudinal movement of a large coin from said end adjacent said finger, and to permit longitudinal movement of smaller. coins therein` whereby they will fill said device to position one of said coins in the path of said finger, merchandise delivering means operable by rotationl of said device, change deliverin means operable by the merchandise as the merchandise is being delivered, and change delivering means operable by a coin in said device.`

6. A vending machine, including a merchandise rack, a rotatable operating shaft under said rack, a coin-receiving device for said rack carried by said shaft, means carried by said shaft for engaging a coin in said device for moving said device with said shaft, merchandise delivering means operable by rotationof said device, and means for discharging coinsfrom said device upon rotation of said shaft without rotation of said device.

7. A vending machine, including a merchandise rack, a rotatable operating shaft under said rack, a coin receiving device for said rack carried by said shaft, a finger carried by said shaft adjacent said device for rotating said device with rotation of said shaft, said finger extending over one end of said device in spaced relation thereto to engage a coin in said device at the end adjacent said finger, said device including a stop to prevent longitudinal movement of a large coin from said end adjacent said fin er, and to permit longitudinal movement of smaller coins therein, whereby theywill fill said device to position one of said coins in the path of said finger, merchandise delivering means operable by the rotation of said devlce, and change delivering means operable by a coin in sald device, and a finger engageable with a coin carried by said device to prevent complete revolution thereof.

8. A vending` machine, including a plurality of merchandise racks, rotatable operating shafts under said racks, coin-receivin devices for each of said racks carried on sai shafts, fingers carried by said shafts adjacent said devices for engaging a coin in said devices for rotating said devices with rotation of said shafts, vand merchandise-delivering means operable by rotation of said devices, said devlces including closures operable by rotation of said shafts with respect to said devices to return improper com received thereby to the operator. i

9. A vending machine, including a plurality of rows vof merchandise racks, a corresponding plurality of rotatable operating shafts under each row of racks, coin-receiving and merchandise-delivering devices for each rack carried on said shafts, and means carried by said shafts engageable with coins within said devices for rotating said devices by rotation of said shafts, a crank for rotating said shafts, and resilient means interconnecting said shafts for resisting initial half revolution of said shafts and for assisting in the final half revolution of said shafts and for retaining said shafts in proper stationary position.

interconnecting. said shafts for resistingl initial half revolutionof said shafts and for assisting in the final half revolution of said shafts and for retaining said shafts in proper stationary position, said device including a b-ase having chutes therein adapted to conduct coins received by said devices to one compartment and to deliver merchandise and change from said devices to the operator.

11. In a vending machine, including a merchandise rack and an operating shaft therefor, a coin receiving device mounted on said shaft adjacent said rack, said device including a. tapered body having an inclined coin receiving slot therein adapted to permit longitudinal movement of a coin Within said slot, a pin associated With said slot to retain co-ins of a predetermined size in the upper end of said slot and to permit longitudinal movement of smaller coins in said slot to fill said slot, and means carried by said shaft to engage a coin in the upper end of said slot, said means being operable to turn said device with said shaft.

12. In a vending machine, including a merchandise rack and an operating shaft therefor, a coin-receiving device mounted on said shaft adjacent said rack, said device including a coin-receiving slot therein, means on said shaft adapted to engage a coin in said slot for rotating said device with-said shaft, and a pivoted closure for said slot adapted to be opened by movement of said shaft With respect to said device.

13. In a vending machine, including a merchandise rack and an operating shaft therefor, a coin-receiving device mounted on said shaft adjacent said rack, said device including a coin-receiving slot therein, means on said shaft 'adapted to engage a coin iii said slot for rotating said device with said shaft, and a pivoted closure for said slot adapted to be opened by movement of said. shaft with respect' to said device, said closure including an operating pin and a cam carried by said shaft adapted to strike said pin to opeu said closure upon revolution of said shaft With respect to said device.

14. In a vending machine, a merchandise rack, an operating shaft therefor, a coin-receiving device mounted on said shaft adjacent said rack, means carried by said shaft for engaging a coin in said device for rotating said device with said shaft, and means for discharging coins from said device upon rotation of said shaft with respect thereto.

15. In a vending machine, a merchandise rack, an operating shaft therefor, a coin-receiving device mounted on said shaft adjacent said rack, means carried by said shaft for engaging a coin in said devicel for rotating said device with said shaft, and means for discharging coins from said device upon rotationy Vof said shaft With respect thereto,

said last-mentioned means including pivoted closures for said device, pinscarried by said closure, and a cam on said shaft adapted to strike said pins toy open said closures upon respective rotation of said shaft with said device. n

16. In a vending machine, including a merchandise rack and an operating shaft therefor, a coin-receiving device ymounted on said shaft adjacent said rack, ksaid device including atapered body having an inclined coin receiving slot therein adapted to permit longitudinal movement of a coin within said slot, a pin associated with said slot to retain coins of a predetermined size in the upper end of said slot, and a change delivering device adapted for actuation by a coin retained by said pin, said operating shaft including means for engaging a comin said 'slot for rotating said device With said shaft.

17. In a vending machine, a plurality of rows of merchandise racks, merchandise delivering devices associated With said racks, and a single means for operating all of said devices, said devices including lcoin-receiving slots, said operating means including iingers adapted to engage coins in said slots to selectively move said devices Withmovement of said means, said means further including an operating shaft adjacent each rovv of racks and interconnecting shafting for simultaneously operating all of said shafts from a single handle, said shafts having resilient supplementary interconnecting means to assist in retarding said shafts in predetermined portions of a full rotation thereof. i

18. In a vendingmachine, a plurality of rowsof merchandise racks, merchandise delivering devices associated with said racks, and a single means for operating all of said devices, `said devices including coin-receiving slots, said operating means including {in gers adapted to engagecoins in said slots to selectively move said devices With'movement of said means, said means further including an operating shaft adjacent each row of racks and interconnecting shaftin g for simultaneously operating all ofsaid shafts from a single handle, said shafts having resilient sup- L other of said shafts, together with resilient means interconnecting said crank and cam.

19. In a vending machine, a plurality of rows of merchandise racks, coin receiving and merchandise delivering devices associated with said racks, a shaft associated with each row of said racks and including means for engaging a coin in said devices for selectively rotating said devices by rotation of said shaft, and a single means for operating all of said shafts, said means including -an interconnecting shafting for simultaneously operating all of said shafts from a single handle, said shafts having resilient supplementary interconnecting means for assisting in retarding said shafts-in predetermined portions of a full rotation thereof.

20. In a vending machine, including a merchandise rack and an operating shaft therefor, a coin-receiving device mounted on said shaft adjacent said rack, said device including a body having spaced side braces adapted to form coin-receiving slots on either side ofsaid body, and means on said shaft adapted to engage a coin carried by one of said slots to turn said device with said shaft, said braces including pivoted closure members for their lower sides, said closure members beingy adapted to close the bottom of said slots in the normal operation of said device and to be opened to release coins from said slotupon the receipt of improper coins in said slot. Y

21. In a vending machine, including a merchandise rack and an operating shaft therefor, a coin-receiving device mounted on said shaft adjacent said rack, said device including a body having spaced side braces adapted to form coin-receiving slots on either side of said body, means on said shaft adapted to engage a coin carried by one of said slots to turn said device with said shaft, said bracesincluding pivoted closure members for their lower sides, said closure members being adapted to close the bottom of said slots in the normal operation of said device and to be opened to release coins from said slot upon the receipt of improper coins in said slot. and a pin carried by each of said braces and extending across said .slot to prevent movement of a coin of predetermined size within said slot and to permit longitudinal movement of a smaller coin Within said slot.

22. In a vending machine, including a merchandise rack and an operating shaft therefor, a coin-receiving device mounted on said shaft adjacent said rack, said device including a body having spaced side braces adapted to form coin-receiving slots on either'side of said body, means on said shaft adapted to engage a coin carried by one of said slots to turn said device with said shaft, said bracesV in- I cluding pivoted closure members for their lower sides, said closure members being adapted to close the bottom ofsaid slots in the normal operation of said device and to be opened to release coins from said slot upon the rece1pt of improper coins 1n said slot, a 

